The invention relates to a method of and apparatus for handling both preprinted and unprinted forms. Forms which are preprinted and coded in certain machine or human readable formats may be taken from a bulk stack or roll of forms and automatically processed. Unprinted forms can be processed using preprogrammed steps.
The processing operations may include combinations of stacking, sequencing, merging, accumulating, restacking, folding and then loading into a high speed mail insertion machine. The invention can be operated both in line--with an inserter--or off line for testing or other operations such as sequencing and stacking for folding. The stacked, folded forms can then be handled manually or preferably fed to an inserter machine. These can also be programmed in a preset automatic non-optical mode that does not rely on optical marks for control.
The invention has advantages in a combination of its flexibility in handling alternative form printing formats such as last page first, mixed multiple and independent sequencing and stacking, as well as keeping track of multiple page and variable page sets while also providing greatly improved speed of operation to enable maximizing the speed of the high speed mail insertion machinery.
Prior art feeding and transporting mechanisms require major mechanical and electronic changes to efficiently process a variety of form sizes and formats and printing sequence formats. Most prior art devices have no provisions for under or over stacking while running a side-by-side form. In addition, most prior art devices make no provision to stack, right and/or left justify and deliver up to two channels of paper side-by-side, independently of each other, with precise superimposition of the stack.
At this time the method of operation needs to be understood. As described above, there are a variety of formats for printing of documents that arrive to the envelope inserter facility in the form of the continuous form web. For a variety of reasons, web is printed at the convenience of the company whose statements or mailings are typically to go to mail recipients. Often this is a company such as a credit card company sending credit card bills or a bank sending mortgage statements or the like.
Very often, the preprinted webs of continuous feed forms are delivered to a mailing house that processes and mails all the documents with the capital, facilities and expertise to do so with greater efficiency than the credit card companies or banks. However to serve different credit card companies, banks or the like, it is necessary for the mailing house to tailor its operations to process using whatever format their customers, the different credit card companies, banks or the like use. Since the different credit card companies, banks or the like often print in different formats, flexibility in processing formats is important to the efficiency of the mailing house. Similarly, even a mailer who does the envelope insertion itself may want to have flexibility in the event it changes its printing program or uses different printing programs.
Formats such as "one up" printing, where a single page is processed are fairly easy to feed into an envelope inserter such as that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 1,738,119 and later embodiments generally known as machines of the Phillipsburg type. For documents feed "two up", typically side by side, it is necessary to use a merger so that a plurality of document streams or channels result in a single channel. A typical approach is that taught U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,319. Another approach is in U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,497. Still another is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,127. None of these, however, appear to be adaptable to handle all the variations that may be handled by the instant invention. The foregoing patents are incorporated by reference.
West/East printing starts with the left channel 48, the next page to the same recipient in the right channel, the third page back to the left channel, but, of course behind the first page. This sequence, zig-zagging back and forth, is repeated for the selected number of recipients and pages. When there are the same number of pages for every recipient, the format is called "West/East multiple." Where there is a different number of pages for every recipient, the format is called "West/East mixed multiple." If the right channel has the first page and the left channel the second, the analogous terminology to that above would be used to describe "East/West" formats. Typically, documents fed in West/East or East/West are accumulated in a stack in an accumulator and then the set is injected to a folder and thence to the inserter. However, the foregoing arrangements in the typical inserter feed arrangements known in the prior art are unable to handle North/South multiple formats. North/South mixed multiple format and the operation of the invention will be discussed in detail and with reference to schematic drawings.
Thus, the convention in the high speed printing and the subsequent high speed mail handling field is to refer to printing operations as "East/West" where related forms such as a credit card bill of multiple pages that go to the same addressee, are printed, at least in part, side by side, and "North/South" where related forms are printed end to end or top to bottom. Another convention is to refer to form printing and subsequent high speed mail handling as "one up" where a single page is printed, and all subsequent pages follow in one continuous feed batch, and "two up" where two pages are printed side by side and enter the high speed mail handling equipment's first step (usually a cutter) in a side by side manner. It is the forms, as printed, which determine whether the batch is arranged "East/West", West/East, "North/South".
When forms are printed and have different number of pages per set they are referred to as mixed multiple forms. While these may be printed either "East/West" or "North/South," because of the mixed number of multiple pages, it is critical to control both channels to be sure sets are processed correctly. East/West or West/East mixed multiple forms use both left and right channels to process one particular form, effectively zig-zagging from one channel to the other. North/South mixed multiples have all the pages for one form in one channel, but both channels must be controlled to be sure multiple forms from one channel are not processed out of order relative to the other channel.
A one-up continuous form is a continuous web of paper used for creating documents in a continuous stream allowing only one document for the width of the form. Each consecutive document appears in a subsequent pattern and continue along the length of the web.
A two-up continuous form is a continuous web of paper used for creating documents in a continuous stream allowing two documents to be printed side-by-side restricted by the width of the form. This form is generally slit vertically down the center to separate the documents and then trimmed to width on the sides.
North/South printing sequence format is a process by which a one-up or two-up continuous form is used, printing one document or two documents side-by-side. Of course, by definition one up forms have to be North/South because there is no East/West relationship.
East/West printing sequence is the process by which a two-up continuous form is used for printing two documents side-by-side on a continuous web. In East/West, when a multiple page statement is required, the first page of the set can appear in channel one or channel two (left or right). The next page of that same set would appear in the next position using a left to right, top to bottom theory of collation. Therefore, if there was a three page set and page one of that set appeared in channel two, the second page appeared in channel one, one position down from the first page and the last page of that set would also appear in channel two, one position down from the first page. The convention used herein will use West/East by analogy to the cardinal points of a compass where North refers to the leading edge of the sheet. Thus, West/East refers to side by side pages with the left page first, while East/West refers to side by side pages with the right page first.
Other known prior art uses single track form feeders and cutters feeding accumulators and sequencers. These single track accumulators do not permit the handling of two up mixed multiple forms. These also have limitations in handling certain East/West, North/South and mixed multiple formats. The prior art cannot select between printing the aforementioned modes alternatively, or with simple program changes. Further, the use of a controllable dual registering stacking interface can nearly double the ultimate speed of operation because of the ability to sequence two-up printed forms. The physical feed and sequencing of the original batch of printed forms are often limiting factors in machine operation speed.
Prior art feed arrangements generally simply use a fixed format cutting and inserting virtually straight from the computer printed continuous feed forms. While this prior art is adequate for processing repetitive routine jobs, there is a complete lack of flexibility in adapting to different continuous feed form formats.
Most forms are fed using industry standard optically readable coding marks to identify related forms. In the invention, these are fed through a forms cutter or perforated form burster which physically separates the continuous feed computer printed batch of forms into an "East/West" set of papers. In the typical usage, a single web of multiple pages is processed through a cutter or burster which includes the optical reading apparatus. This set of papers is then fed into a dual registering stacking interface.
It will be understood that in the industry different formats and sizes are used. The main advantage of the invention is that it can be adapted to varying formats of single pages, left and right pages, mixing of the number of pages in a given mailing and the like, as will be described.
The dual registering stacking interface or "register" enables an improved method of processing cut forms originating from a stacked continuous web of paper and flexibility in processing all of the required printing sequence formats.
The prior art includes a register table. This outer-edge justifies, or registers, two-up pages, but does not stack. Register tables have been used for different West/East or East/West applications and North/South single page sets, but cannot process North/South multiple page sets.
Two separate forms are delivered side-by-side and enter the register. The separate forms are fed into first and second parallel staging areas respectively. While the forms are in these staging areas optical characters previously read on the forms are processed and the forms composed for delivery to the stacking area. Optionally, appropriate reader apparatus could be incorporated with the register.
Moving to the stacking area, where multiple page sets are involved, the pages are stacked respectively separately and progressively right and left justified prior to releasing to a subsequent device--the sequencer-merger. The pages are also lead edge justified and become superimposed.
Where single pages are involved, the dual registering stacking interface functions as a North/South area enabling timing for sequencing. Justification remains important for maximum speed and the control provided enables better sequencing.
A key to this operation is the processing of the optical reading to determine the relatedness of forms in selected combinations of North/South series or East/West relationship. Thus, the processing of the optical reading will determine the need for collation, the need for incorporating related pages into sets such as in East/West mixed multiple forms, the sequencing of sets or simply the sequencing of single page printed forms. Even in this last operation, control is desirable where, for example the printing in Zip code order proceeds with the left hand ("West") form first or the right hand ("East") form first. Indeed, the invention permits a more flexible terminology because the invention can control West/East forms as well as East/West forms--a distinction not heretofore permitted with any known automated machine.
It should be recognized, however that the invention can also be used in a preprogrammed sequence and/or set collation without using reading. Examples of this operation would be where there is so little variation in the forms that sequencing need not be automated, or even where the apparatus is used for a purpose other than mailing such as sequencing and feeding hand deliverable materials to a folder in an off line manner. The prior art has not generally been adapted to off line operation.
In the preferred embodiment, appropriate automatic actuator controls will signal whether, for example, a second page in one channel relates to the immediately prior sheet (now in the stacking area). If related, the two will be stacked. If not, then each sheet will be injected to the next step.
The sheet or stack is released and moved from the stacking area after a predetermined number of forms have accumulated in said stack. Each channel's moving mechanism includes upper and lower transport belts transversely offset from each other which are in different vertically adjacent planes to cause the belts to grasp and move the forms forward. These belts are also in different horizontally adjacent planes.
Preferably each set of belts for a given channel are horizontally angled to the outside as paper travels to the right on channel two, to the left on channel one. This causes a sheet and consecutive forms to be accumulated and right or left justified and are neatly stacked prior to release from the stacking area in either channel. At a minimum one set, preferably the outer set, would be angled.
Each stacking area is located between a sheet recording mechanism to record the number of forms passing through and a pair of spring loaded compliant rollers. The rollers stop the paper stack from moving forward, align said stack perpendicular and square with the next device and eject said stack to a subsequent process. Stacking is assisted by low friction sheaves through which the belts pass, but which enable subsequent forms to pass under earlier forms maintained in the North/South area. Generally the friction of the belts prevents any rebounding of the forms. There is no rear stop needed.
In order to accomplish registering, the present invention provides implementation of the transversely offset upper and lower belts and with their driven rollers horizontally offset and adjusted about 5 degrees offset from their drive rollers toward the right or left side of the device for right or left justification, stacking and superimposing. The angle is variable for maximum performance with different forms, paper, speeds and the like and has been effective between about one degree to about 10 degrees. A separate left hand and right hand clutch/brake control is provided for each left and right channel for independent or simultaneous release to a subsequent process.
The dual registering stacking interface is adaptable to selectively handle the following different combinations of form layouts: one-up continuous form; a two-up continuous form; East/West printing sequence format and North/South printing sequence format, left channel first or right channel first.
Collation in the North/South printing sequence format mode is done in the register stacking area(s) and before sequencing. In the East/West format collation of sets is done in the accumulator/collector after sequencing.
In North/South when a multiple page document is required, the first page of the set will appear in the first position on a one-up form and each consecutive page thereafter. In a two-up form, the first page can appear in either of two side-by-side channels and each consecutive page will appear in the next position after its previous page using a top to bottom theory of collation for either of the two channels.
The dual registering stacking interface or register positively registers the forms outwardly against rails as they pass from a staging area to a stacking area. The previously read coding is processed and the stacking controlled so that the desired collation is accomplished. This can, for example, be simply west/east programming where each of two related papers which travel side-by-side are intended to be collated and to be ultimately inserted together in a single envelope to a single customer. West/east forms feed into the sequencer/merger are fairly easy to control because the forms are in the proper order when they enter the sequencer/merger and thence enter the improved access accumulator. In the prior art, this could also be accomplished with a register table, which was not a multiple function unit like the register.
The use of the register in conjunction with the other steps described herein also enable highly complex collation and sequencing such as North/South mixed multiple stacking as where the identity between sequential papers is on a North/South basis but not all customers receive the same number of pages in their mailing. Thus, with two pages in the registered area and two pages in the stacking area, three separate customers may be represented. The north/east customer may get a single page, the north/west customer may get two pages comprising the north/west page and the south/west page, while the south/east page is for yet a third customer.
The stacking mechanism in conjunction with the optical reader and control will then inject stacks in the proper order into the sequencer merger.
The sequencer merger includes deflector guides fixed at both ends which both invert and rotate each stack. They are inverted 180 degrees (180) vertically and rotated 90 degrees (90) horizontally in the preferred embodiment. From here, the now sequenced stacks are injected into a transport, collector, or subsequent device such as an one up stacking register which performs a task of counting and controlling each individual stack. When an online one up stacking register is used, for example, it then injects each stack in the proper order into a folder and thence into the high speed mail inserting machine. In the prior art, the sequenced forms are always merged, or overlapped. In the invention, the ability to change the timing or release of the forms will enable the forms to be fed in a non-merged or separate manner where desired.
For maximum flexibility in in-line operations, an one up stacking register is a transport assembly for a paper feeding mechanism. Prior art accumulators have upper and lower transport belts transversely offset from one another, but in line with the centerline of the one up stacking register, used to transport paper and/or stack paper. These have no provisions for removal of paper from the device once caught between transport belts when stationary. Currently it is difficult to remove a piece of paper easily and without damage. It is also difficult to install a piece of paper manually or to inspect. In addition, current designs have no provisions for compensating for more than one stacked page to enter the device at one time.
For improved precision and efficiency, the stacking register of the invention can be used for one-up operation as well as for two-up operations. As with the dual registering stacking interface the one to ten (preferably 5) degree angle side justifies the forms.